Cucumber Mango Salad with Edamame Basmati Rice

Cucumber Mango Salad

Ingredients:
3 cucumbers - seeded, peeled and cut into squares
3 mangoes - peeled and cut into squares
5 radishes - sliced
1/4 cup - chopped mint & basil
2 tbs sesame seeds
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Mix first four ingredients together and then toss with the vinegar. Top with sesame seeds. (Maybe add a little lemon juice to the mint and basil to keep from turning brown)


Edamame Basmati Rice

Ingredients:
1 package shelled edamame
1 cup basmati rice, uncooked
1/4 cup diced mint
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
salt

Cook the edamame and basmati rice according to instructions. Once they are done cooking mix them together in a bowl. Add add in mint, vinegar and salt and toss.

Theses actually taste really good mixed together!

Creamy Radish Dip and Htipiti (Greek Feta Dip)

These are both super easy and really good!

Creamy Radish Dip

Ingredients:
6-8 radishes, washed and diced
1/4 onion, diced
2 tbs. sour cream



Mix the ingredients above together and refrigerate for an hour before serving Taste great with either rye or whole grain crackers.



Htipiti

Ingredients
8 oz. feta
1/3 cup of pepperocini/banana peppers
1 tbs. plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
Oregeno & S&P

Place above ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place in a bowl and season with red pepper flakes. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Best served with flat bread or pita, katamala olives, artichoke hearts and sliced tomatoes.

Asparagus Salad

Asparagus is in season and I can think so so many yummy recipes that I enjoy with this crunchy green vegetable. This salad recipe is super delicious and good for you too! The longer you let this mixture sit the better it tastes. I like to make the asparagus mixture the night before I plan to eat it so the flavors intensify. If you don't have time to let it sit then just enjoy as is, it is still quite tasty. 

Ingredients
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2 lbs asparagus, washed and the very bottom cut off
2 tbs lemon lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1-2 tbs lemon pepper seasoning
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced

Dressing
1 lemons, juiced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs olive oil
S&P

Mix the dressing in a small bowl and set aside. 


Fixins

1 avocado, peeled and sliced
4-6 cups of mixed greens or butter lettuce



Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the asparagus in 2 tbs lemon juice, olive oil and lemon pepper. Place in a pan and bake for 15 minutes. 

Once the asparagus is cool, chop it into 1 inch pieces and place it in a large bowl with the bell pepper, red onion and tomatoes in the large bowl and toss in the dressing.

Assemble your salad starting with the lettuce then spoon about 3/4 cup of the asparagus mixture (make sure to scoop up some of the dressing). Place the sliced avocados on top then serve.

Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cooked lentils
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup of bread crumbs (add more if the mixture is not sticking)
- 1/2 chopped onion
- chopped garlic
- rosemary
- S&P

Directions:
1. Place eggs, garlic, rosemary, lentils and onion in a food processor until somewhat smooth (it is okay if some lentils are still whole).
2. Mix blended lentils in a bowl with bread crumbs and S&P.
3. Let the mixture set for a few minutes while the bread crumbs soak up the moisture, then make into 6-8 patties.
4. Heat a skillet with olive oil to med/high heat and add the patties. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side.


How to Serve:
Whole Grain Ciabatta
Mushrooms- sliced and sauteed
Provolone or Pepper Jack Cheese
Sliced Avocado

Or-
Pita Bread
Cucumbers
Sliced Tomatoes
Cilantro & Chive Yogurt Sauce

Spring Orzo Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
- 1/2 box of orzo
- 1 lb asparagus- diced
- 1 cucumber - diced
- 1/2 - 2/3 cup of feta
- 1/4 cup of sliced almonds
- fresh cilantro- chopped

Dressing:
1 fresh squeezed lemon
1-2 tbs olive oil
S&P
garlic powder

1. Cook the Orzo as directed, while the Orzo is cooking saute the asparagus for about 3 minutes then set aside. 2. Once the orzo is cool combine it in a bowl with the asparagus. 3. Then add the feta, almonds, cilantro and cucumber. 4. Mix the dressing together then pour into the pasta salad and toss with S&P.

**OPTIONAL ADDITIONS**
Broccoli (cook with the asparagus Step 1)
Grape Tomatoes (toss in with feta and cucumber Step 3)

Falafel Pitas

This is super easy and quite delicious!! There is not much cooking involved but it's awesome! It goes great with the Mediterranean Lentil Salad posted below. If you haven't had falafel i suggest you try it out... its pretty darn delicious!

Ingredients:
1 box of falafel mix
1 package of pita bread
1 cup of green and red cabbage sliced/diced
1 large tomato sliced

Cilantro & Chive Yogurt Dip (you can buy this or make it)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
salt
garlic powder


Follow the falafel directions for mixing and letting it settle. While the falafel is settling make the yogurt spread by mixing all the yogurt ingredients together, season to taste with garlic powder and salt and set aside in the frigde. Next dice the tomato and cabbage and set aside.

Pour 1/2 inch of veggie oil into a small pot and heat. Make golf ball size balls out of the falafel mix and drop into oil once its hot. Cook the falafel for 1-2 minutes until the falafel is browned all the way around and flip if needed. Once each ball is cooked place them in a bowl with paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Cover to keep warm while the rest of the falafel is cooking.

Once the falafel is done heat up the pita bread then spread the yogurt on each pita. Next add the tomato and coleslaw mix and 2-3 falafel balls.

Navy Bean Pasta Salad

I'm always looking for a dish that I can make ahead of time and use the leftovers for lunch throughout the week. This pasta salad is quick and easy to make and tastes great the next day. I like to keep a little extra olive oil at my desk just in case the pasta dries out any in the fridge.

 The recipe below is vegetarian but every now and again I like to add Trader Joes Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage to this dish so if you want some extra protein just add whatever you'd like!

Ingredients

1 package of tri-color pasta
1 can of navy beans or cannellini, rinsed and drained
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup of green olives with pimentos, halved
1/2 cup of feta


1/4 cup olive oil 
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (optional)
S&P
Garlic Powder


Cook the pasta according to the package. While the pasta is cooking add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil 1 tbs at a time until the mixture is lightly covered in olive oil, and set aside. Once the pasta is ready drain and gently mix into the bowl, adding more olive oil if need be. 

Serve warm or cold.

Cranberry & Pecan Quinoa

- 2 cups of cooked qunioa- cooled to room temp
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 8 oz of buffalo mozzarella - diced
- 3 stalks of celery- chopped
- 1/4 cup of chopped green onions

Dressing
- 2 tbs balsamic
- splash of lemon juice
- 2 tsp of dijon mustard
- 2 tbs olive oil
* Add the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix then slowly add in the olive oil.

Once the qunioa is cooled fold in the pecans, cranberries, celery, mozzarella and green onions. Then stir in the dressing. Serve cold.

Open Faced Pear Walnut Sandwich

- Cream Cheese
- 2 slices of cinnamon raisin bread or 1 bagel
- 2-3 tbs. of chopped walnuts
- 1 large Bosc or Barlett pear- sliced
- 1/2 cup of alfalfa sprouts

Spread the cream cheese on the bagel or bread. Then sprinkle the walnuts over the cream cheese,. Top each slice with sliced pears then alfalfa sprouts.

** Really yummy and goes well with Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Salad**

Lentil Stuffed Bell Peppers

1/2 onion, sliced
4 bell peppers, tops cut off and de-seeded
1 package of cooked lentils (trader joes has the best)
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of tomoato sauce or marinara
2 cups of cooked brown rice
slices of jack cheese
S&P
Garlic Powder

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Saute onion and garlic in a pan for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add lentils, brownn rice, tomoato sauce and seasoning. Stir until warm.
4. Fill the peppers with the rice/lentil mix and top with sliced cheese.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.

Easy Applesauce

4-5 apples - peeled, cored &sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Place 3/4 cup of water, cinnamon stick and apples into a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium heat and cook until the apple slices until they are tender. Remove the cinnamon stick, add the sugar and  Use a potato masher or immersion blender and mash up the apples. Let it cook on low a little longer until the water has been cooked out and you have a good thick applesauce.

- Taste great with yogurt, granola, oatmeal or just by itself

Blackberry Applesauce
1 pint of fresh black berries

Follow the recipe above. While the apples are boiling place the black berries in the food processor and puree. Pour the puree through a strainer to remove the seeds and mix into the applesauce.